The Los Angeles Lakers signing Bronny James to play alongside his father, LeBron is one of the greatest pieces of news there is right now. It’s a one-of-a-kind story that might never be repeated again. But then, it does come with its set of consequences and repercussions for the son, who is constantly under a microscope, with people, analysts, fans, and haters constantly picking at him. Every single breath he takes on the court, he will be minuscule and talked about.

The Lakers’ new HC, JJ Redick, is trying to build that confidence in him and instill the values that he should have as a legit star now. But hey, papa James would have too, right? He was brought up in an environment where media and cameras have always been at the clan. Could this mean he would falter somewhere? And is the hate/love towards him justified? Well, this is something that Chris Broussard and Rob Parker discuss in the new episode of their long-time-running podcast show, ‘The Odd Couple’ podcast.

For Redick he will be the “cast study one”, but for the podcasters, it seems that Redick is trying to put Bronny on a pedestal, forcing him to be in a high-pressure situation that might not sit well with the people.

“There’s no way Bronny is going to be able to be an average or developing young player,” said Rob Parker. “Chris, when he misses a wide-open three, when he misses a layup at the basket……. Do you know what I mean, like my god, it will be the end of the world. He’s going to be in a very very tough pressure cooker.”

Chris questions Rob again, “Do you think the pressure he will face is warranted?

Rob responds, “I do. Because of the way that this whole thing played out. Because of LeBron tweeting that he’s better than half the stiffs in the league, or whatever he put out there. All of those things, Chris, will add up to people looking at him… For all the scouts who say oh yeah, he’s a good player and he knows basketball There’s all the other scouts who say he’s not ready, he’s not NBA… he’s a small guard, he doesn’t shoot it well, his skills are not fully developed. Those are… There are those people saying those things as well. So any inkling or any development where he struggles, or he doesn’t look like he’s going to be that player is going to be magnified.”

Being the son of LeBron James, one of the greatest basketball players of the modern generation, Bronny James was brought up with some big expectations on his shoulders. Unfortunately, the same faltered after noticing how the young player averaged only 4.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.1 rebounds during his tenure at the University of South Carolina. Furthermore, with a field goal percentage of 36.6% and a three-pointer percentage of 26.7%, Bronny wasn’t that impressive on the shooting side as well. Despite this, he was drafted into the NBA as the 55 overall pick. He was drafted into a league in which he would not go up against college players but some of the best basketball athletes ever to step foot on the court.

The competition will be intense, and so will the pressure to do well. JJ Redick’s statement may have meant nothing else but a vote of confidence. However, it may have indirectly created some new expectations for NBA fans and analysts alike.

Can Bronny James really handle the pressure?

For quite a long time, LeBron James had been open about his desire to play alongside his eldest son before he officially retires from the league. Now, at 39 years of age, his dream will finally be fulfilled. While having his father on the same team would go a long way in building up support, it would also put Bronny more under a microscope. He expressed the same feeling during his introductory presser by stating, “It’s for sure amplified the amount of pressure.” At the same time, however, it is a challenge that the young star is ready to undertake.

“I’ve already seen it in media and on the internet and stuff talking about I might not deserve an opportunity,” said Bronny. “But I’ve been dealing with stuff like this for my whole life. It’s nothing different. It’s more amplified for sure, but I can get through it.”

Bronny James certainly made an impression during the NBA Combine process when he went 19-25 with his three-pointers during the shooting star drill. Later, he would score 13 points in 23 minutes in the next game. Despite this, his USC Trojans stat, and the cardiac arrest he had last year, left a black spot on his record. However, the young player is taking his past lapses as lessons and planning to use his new opportunity to improve his game.

Before leaving, be sure to check out some insights that Shaquille O’Neal’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, shared about the Lakers legend’s infamous feud with the late Kobe Bryant.